Player Theatrics (2 Viewers)

[johnniericoh]

We are almost at the end of the 2010/2011 season and what can we say about the RESPECT initiative supposingly introduced for the betterment of the beautiful game. We still see angry, snarling in your face reactions of the players to virtually any decision made by the refs with pushing and shoving in and around the officials amid scenes of mayhem. This spills out to the fans who respond with equal malice.

We see WWE wrestling moves in the penalty areas prior to dead ball kicks including blatant shirt pulling, strangleholds and the pulling of players to the ground often only feet from the ref but with no infringement called.

Diving or simulation is still rampant with players going down and rolling around as if poleaxed as the result of marginal and in some cases no contact at all. Compare this with 18 stone prop forwards colliding with no histrionics or malice.

The above is as blatant now as it was this time last year but my biggest beef is in the television coverage and the comments of the footy pundits. They look at each situation with blinkered vision with only token criticism of the incidents often supporting very obvious marginal decisions.

There needs to be a more rigourous campaign involving players, managers, match officials and the media to eliminate this behaviour as for me it seriously affects the enjoyment of our beloved game.

PUSB

 

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[ajsccfc]

There was never going to be much change within a year; if this campaign is to bear fruit they have to be looking at a gradual long-term change.

One thing I agree about is that players continue to get away with 'little' things like manhandling players and mouthing off. I wonder if an edict was sent to referees to become extremely strict, it'll scare players into submission? It'd mean a remarkable rise in cards of course.

 

[TheRoyalScam]

Fair play to that ref at Watford away who gave us the penalty for shirt-pulling in the area - if only they were all consistent and gave a few penalties players would soon get the message.

 

[gouldberg]

I still don't think the players are to blame. They will always play up to ref considering all the officials let them. When the referee's become a bit more consistent and show a bit more bottle then the players may stop. If the referee let's you argue back without showing a card, you'll argue back. It will influence the official over the space of 90 minutes, I can assure you of that.

The referee's need to start giving penalties for shirt pulling and bookings for diving and answering back. Then, and only then, will we see less of the theatrics.

 

[AngryAnt]

There was never going to be much change within a year; if this campaign is to bear fruit they have to be looking at a gradual long-term change.

One thing I agree about is that players continue to get away with 'little' things like manhandling players and mouthing off. I wonder if an edict was sent to referees to become extremely strict, it'll scare players into submission? It'd mean a remarkable rise in cards of course.

I think they should do that.. Scare the players, which in turn would make the backroom staff change tactics etc...

I think they should take the rugby approach, if you aren't the captain (or maybe the offending player too), then you can't go to the ref. If you do, yellow card... If you mouth back, yellow card etc... Will soon shut the players up if they get two yellows for stupid comments (rooney would be perma banned).

Same with dives, i think a dive in the box should be a straight red. (allow the FA to reverse the card if it wasn't a dive ofc, but how many blantent dives have you seen even in the last season, which resulted in nothing happening besides the player crying like a child)